Patent application title: Apparatus and method

Abstract:

A ring binding apparatus comprises a channel-form guide (2), a slide (6)
guided by the guide (2) for linearly slidingly guided movement relative
to the guide (2) between a first position and a second position, a detent
arrangement (42,44) whereby the slide (6) is releasably retained in the
second position, and loop-form elements (30) receivable independently of
each other between the guide (2) and the slide (6) in the first position
and, when the slide (6) is in the second position, locatingly engaged by
the slide (6) in positions transverse to the aforesaid linearly slidingly
guided movement and parallel to each other. The elements (30) are
removable independently of each other following return of the slide (6)
to the first position.

Claims:

1-29. (canceled)

30. A ring binding apparatus comprising a guide, a guided slide carried by
said guide for linearly slidingly guided movement relative to said guide
between a first position and a second position, a detent arrangement
whereby said guided slide is releasably retained in said second position
relative to said guide, and a plurality of loop-form elements receivable
between said guide and said guided slide in said first position and, when
said guided slide is in said second position relative to said guide,
locatingly engaged by said guided, slide in positions transverse to said
linearly slidingly guided movement and parallel to each other.

31. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein, with said elements
locatingly engaged by said slide as aforesaid, said elements are
removable independently of each other once said first position has been
again attained.

32. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said guide is generally in
the form of a rectangular strip extending in a plane and is of channel
form whereof the interior has longitudinally a slot which receives said
slide, which is basically a rectangular strip.

33. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein, as viewed perpendicularly
to said plane, respective recesses of each of a plurality of spaced-apart
pairs of recesses are formed in respective opposite external longitudinal
edges of said guide and intersect said slot, and respective recesses of
each of a plurality of correspondingly spaced-apart pairs of recesses are
formed in respective opposite edges of said slide, relative sliding
movement of said slide and said guide into said first position bringing
recesses of said pairs of recesses in said guide into alignment with
recesses in said pairs of recesses in said slide so that end portions of
said loop-form elements may be inserted therein, said end portions being
formed with respective inwardly facing slots therein whereby relative
movement of said guide and said slide into said second position causes
said respective opposite edges of said slide to anchor said end portions.

34. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein, as viewed perpendicularly
to said plane, each recess in said guide is part circular cylindrical and
extends through more than 180.degree..

35. An apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the recesses in said guide
have respective floors limiting depth of insertion of said end portions
therein.

36. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein each of said floors is
formed with a hole therein and each of said end portions is formed
longitudinally thereof at its free extremity with a lug receivable in
said hole.

37. An apparatus according to of claim 33, wherein, as viewed
perpendicularly to said plane, each recess in said slide is part
cylindrical.

38. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said pairs of recesses in
said guide comprise four pairs spaced apart by 80 mm. and three pairs
spaced apart by 108 mm.

39. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said guide has fixing
holes therethrough whereby fixing members can attach said guide to a
support.

40. An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said slide is of top-hat
cross-section to avoid interference between said slide and said fixing
members during sliding of said slide relative to said guide.

41. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein each of said elements is
U-shaped with headed end portions.

42. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said detent arrangement
comprises at least one rounded detent projecting from one of said guide
and said slide and at least one co-operating notch formed in the other of
said guide and said slide.

43. A ring binding apparatus comprising a plurality of loop-form elements,
and a releasable retaining arrangement serving releasably to retain said
elements in positions in a row and substantially parallel to each other
transversely of said row, said elements being removable independently of
each other following release of said retaining arrangement.

44. An apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said retaining arrangement
comprises a guide and a slide slidingly guided thereby.

45. An apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said guide is of channel
form whereof the interior has longitudinally a slot which receives said
slide, which is basically a rectangular strip.

46. An apparatus according to claim 45, wherein, as viewed perpendicularly
to said plane, respective recesses of each of a plurality of spaced-apart
pairs of recesses are formed in respective opposite external longitudinal
edges of said guide and intersect said slot, and respective recesses of
each of a plurality of correspondingly spaced-apart pairs of recesses are
formed in respective opposite edges of said slide, relative sliding
movement of said slide and said guide into said first position bringing
recesses of said pairs of recesses in said guide into alignment with
recesses in said pairs of recesses in said slide so that end portions of
said loop-form elements may be inserted therein, said end portions being
formed with respective inwardly facing slots therein whereby relative
movement of said guide and said slide into said second position causes
said respective opposite edges of said slide to anchor said end portions.

47. An apparatus according to claim 43, wherein each of said elements is
U-shaped with headed end portions.

48. A method of mounting sheets in a ring binding apparatus, comprising
aligning from sheet-to-sheet lateral binding holes therethrough,
inserting independently of each other a plurality of loop-form binding
elements through respective groups of said holes aligned with each other,
and engagingly locating said elements in a row and substantially parallel
to each other and transversely to said row.

49. A method according to claim 48, wherein said engagingly locating
comprises inserting end portions of each of said elements between a guide
and a slide, and sliding said slide relative to said guide to trap those
end portions therebetween.

Description:

[0001]This invention relates to a ring binding apparatus.

[0002]Since the introduction of suspended presentation portfolios,
manufacturers have been providing standard stationery ring mechanisms to
bind the presentation material. Although these work for some time,
gradually the rings become weak and eventually the presentation material
starts to fall off the rings. Obviously, this can impair the user's
presentation and damage valuable artwork. The difficulties are more
evident with desktop presentation portfolios that stand with the
presentation material hanging vertically from the ring mechanism. In
particular, those desktop presentation portfolios are restricted to
carrying an undesirably limited amount of weight of presentation
material, since the ring mechanism cannot carry a greater weight or it
will open or even break.

[0003]Conventional ring binders are of course designed as a solution for
filing and the snap-open action allows fast insertion and removal of
material. This is not normally necessary with a presentation portfolio,
as the user would seldom change the contents once having loaded the
portfolio. Moreover, with the snap-open action of the known rings the
join between the ring parts often prevents easy turning of at least some
of the pages, especially if the parts are manufactured, or become,
slightly out of alignment.

[0004]Moreover, if the rings of a conventional ring mechanism are broken
or damaged, changing the ring mechanism is possible normally only if the
ring binder can be returned to the manufacturer.

[0005]Furthermore, conventional ring binders are generally each limited to
a particular number of rings at particular spacing. One standard
arrangement is two rings at 80 mm. spacing, another is three rings at 108
mm. spacing, whilst a third is four rings at 80 mm. spacing. It would be
desirable to have a ring binder which could cope with, say, all three of
the corresponding sheet hole numbers and spacings.

[0006]According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided
a ring binding apparatus comprising a guide, a guided slide carried by
said guide for linearly slidingly guided movement relative to said guide
between a first position and a second position, a detent arrangement
whereby said guided slide is releasably retained in said second position
relative to said guide, and a plurality of loop-form elements receivable
between said guide and said guided slide in said first position and, when
said guided slide is in said second position relative to said guide,
locatingly engaged by said guided slide in positions transverse to said
linearly slidingly guided movement and parallel to each other.

[0007]According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a ring binding apparatus comprising a plurality of loop-form
elements, and a releasable retaining arrangement serving releasably to
retain said elements in positions in a row and substantially parallel to
each other transversely of said row, said elements being removable
independently of each other following release of said retaining
arrangement

[0008]According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a method of mounting sheets in a ring binding apparatus,
comprising aligning from sheet-to-sheet lateral binding holes
therethrough, inserting independently of each other a plurality of
loop-form binding elements through respective groups of said holes
aligned with each other, and engagingly locating said elements in a row
and substantially parallel to each other and transversely to said row.

[0009]Owing to these aspects of the invention, it is possible to arrange
for each individual loop-form element to be replaceable by an identical
element in the event of damage thereto and/or for each loop-form element
to be an open loop engagingly locatable at its respective ends whereby,
once the element has been anchored at both ends, a perforated sheet
retained by the element cannot escape therefrom except by tearing of the
sheet and/or for retention and release of all of the elements
simultaneously.

[0010]Furthermore, it is possible for one-and-the-same ring binding
apparatus to be able to cope with various sheet hole numbers and
spacings.

[0011]In order that the invention may be clearly and completely disclosed,
reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying
drawings, in which:--

[0012]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, fragmentary, perspective view from above
of an end portion of a ring binding apparatus, with an adjacent portion
of a cover being shown in dot-dash lines,

[0013]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a hollow, elongate guide of the
apparatus,

[0014]FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the guide taken in the direction of
the arrow III in FIG. 2,

[0015]FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-section taken on the line IV-IV of FIG.
3,

[0016]FIG. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line V-V in
FIG. 2,

[0017]FIG. 6 is a transverse cross-section taken on the line VI-VI of FIG.
3,

[0018]FIG. 7 is a vertical longitudinal central section taken on the line
VII-VII of FIG. 2,

[0019]FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a guided slide of the apparatus,

[0020]FIG. 9 is a side elevation taken in the direction of the arrow IX in
FIG. 8,

[0021]FIG. 10 is an end elevation taken in the direction of the arrow X in
FIG. 8,

[0022]FIG. 11 is an end elevation taken in the direction of the arrow XI
in FIG. 8,

[0023]FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a loop-form binding element of one of
a plurality of identical binding elements of the apparatus,

[0028]Referring to FIGS. 1 to 13, the ring binding apparatus comprises a
channel-form guide 2 whereof the interior has a slot 4 which receives a
slide 6 in the basic form of a rectangular strip. The guide 2 is
generally in the form of a rectangular strip with the slot 4 formed
therealong and closed at its end 2a. Formed in respective opposite
external longitudinal edges of the guide 2 are respective recesses 8 of
each of a plurality of pairs of recesses, as viewed in top plan. Each
recess is part circular-cylindrical, has a vertical axis and, as viewed
in top plan, extends through more than 180°. Each has a floor 10
and is open upwardly and laterally, outwardly, as well as laterally
inwardly where it intersects the slot 4. The pairs of recesses 8 are
located at longitudinal spacings conventional for rings of ring binders.

[0029]There are four pairs of recesses 8a spaced apart by a standard 80
mm. and three pairs of recesses 8b spaced apart by a standard 108 mm. At
each end zone, the guide 2 is formed with rivet holes 12 through its
upper and lower walls whereby the apparatus can be fastened to the spine
14 of a ring binder cover 16 having front and rear sheets 18. The slide 6
is formed, in its respective opposite edge faces, with recesses 20 each
of part circular-cylindrical form with a vertical axis and open upwards,
downwards and laterally outwardly. The recesses 20 are arranged in pairs
at spacings along the slide 6 identical to those of the pairs of recesses
8 along the guide 2. Thus, there are four pairs of recesses 20a spaced
apart by a standard 80 mm. and three pairs of recesses 20b spaced apart
by a standard 108 mm. However, when the slide 6 has been fully inserted
into the guide 2, the pairs of recesses 20 are spaced slightly inwards
longitudinally from the corresponding pairs of recesses 8. The inner end
of the slide 6 is formed with a U-shaped recess 22 to take account of the
presence of the rivet 24 diagrammatically indicated by dot-dash lines in
FIG. 1. The outer end of the slide 6 is also formed with a U-shaped
recess 26 as seen in plan view, in this case allowing limited
longitudinal movement of the slide 6 relative to the guide 2. The slide 6
has at its very outer end an integral finger tab 28 whereby the slide 6
can be moved longitudinally relative to the guide 2 into and out of
element-retaining and element-releasing positions. Each element, of which
one, referenced 30, is illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, consists of a
U-shaped part 32 with heads 34 of circular-cylindrical outline integral
and co-axial with the ends of the U-shaped part 32. Each head 34 is of a
diameter to be received slidingly in any one of the recesses 8 and thus
any one of the recesses 20 and is formed, transversely of its axis, with
a semi-cylindrical, inwardly facing slot 36 which can slidingly receive a
longitudinal edge of the slide 6.

[0030]To mount the guide 2, and therewith a slide 6, on the spine 14, the
slide 6 is substantially fully inserted into the guide 2 and then the
rivets (24) are passed through the holes 12 and are fastened so as to fix
the guide 2 to the spine 14. The customer purchases the ring binder in
that form, with the elements 30 being sold with the binder but not yet in
position on the guide 2. To mount sheets into the ring binder, with the
recesses 20 vertically aligned with the corresponding recesses 8, the
user aligns the conventional perforations of the sheets with the upper
ends of the recesses 8 at one longitudinal edge of the guide 2. He then
takes each of the elements 30 in turn and inserts one of its heads 34
downwardly through each group of aligned perforations into the
corresponding recess 8 at the relevant longitudinal edge of the guide 2,
whilst at the same time inserting the other head 34 of the element 30
downwardly through the other recess 8 of the pair at the opposite
longitudinal edge of the guide 2. By pressing on the tab 28, he then
shifts the recesses 20 longitudinally inwardly, so that the immediately
following edge portions of the longitudinal edges of the slide 6 come to
extend through the slots 36 and so anchor the heads 34 and thus the
elements 30 in position. Even if the elements 30 are semi-flexible, the
heads 34 are prevented from moving laterally outwardly by virtue of being
laterally outwardly embraced by the wall surfaces of the recesses 8.
Moreover, the floors 10 facilitate aligning of the slots 36 with the
longitudinal edge portions of the slide 6. The slide 6 may be releasably
held in its element-retaining position relative to the guide 2 by being a
friction fit therein or by some releasable holding means.

[0031]The version shown in FIGS. 14 to 16 differs from that shown in FIGS.
1 to 13 in two main respects. Firstly, instead of relying upon embracing
of the heads 34 by the wall surfaces of the recesses 8 to prevent the
heads 34 from moving laterally outwards, each head 34 is provided on the
inner side of its base with an integral, semi-cylindrical lug 38 which,
towards the end of downward insertion of the head 34 into the recess 8,
comes to be received in a semi-circularly shaped hole through the floor
10. Thus, each floor 10, is, in effect, replaced by a bar 40 which serves
both to obstruct laterally outward movement of the lug 38 (and thus of
the head 34) and to locate the head 34 and thus its slot 36 into
alignment with the relevant longitudinal edge portion of the slide 6.
Secondly, the slide 6 is of a "top-hat" cross-section, whilst the slot 4
is open at the top throughout its length and has undercuts 4a receiving
the respective longitudinal edge portions of the slide 6, whereby,
instead of the rivets each extending through a hole 12 in an upper wall
of the guide 2 and a hole 12 in the lower wall thereof, there is provided
for each rivet simply a hole 12 in the lower wall of the guide 2 readily
accessible through the U-shaped slots (22 and 24) in the respective ends
of the slide 6. Thus, the slide 6 can be fully withdrawn from the guide 2
by the customer without any need to remove the longitudinally outer
rivet. The configuration of the slot 4 and the slide 6 in this version
facilitates the provision of a detent arrangement for preventing
undesired movement of the slide 6 along the guide 2. In this version,
rounded detents 42 provided on respective opposite longitudinal edges of
the upper part of the slide 6 releasably engage in rounded notches 44 in
the facing upper wall surfaces of the slot 4.

[0032]The versions of the apparatus described with reference to the
drawings have the advantage that the "ring" elements 30 are continuous
and so, with their heads 34 securely anchored, presentation material
cannot fall from the elements unless the material itself (including
perforated sleeves) tears. Moreover, the apparatus can be used in a
standard two-three-or four-ring configuration, as desired, since the
elements 30 are removable and replaceable in different numbers and
spacings. Furthermore, if one of the elements 30 were to be broken or
become missing, the user can simply order and mount a replacement
element. Furthermore, the elements can be locked relatively flushly into
the base provided by the items 2 and 6. Furthermore, since each element
is continuous, turning of the presentation material is easier than with
two-part rings.